British Empire

The British Empire was the name given to the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled by England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom from the late 16th to mid-20th centuries. The empire originated with overseas possessions and trading posts, but the British expanded their empire through military force, including the French and Indian War, the Anglo-Maratha Wars, the Opium Wars, and the Scramble for Africa, among other conflicts. The British Empire was centered around the British capital of London in England, but it was spread across the world, owning 24% of Earth's total land area at its height in 1913. The phrase, "The Sun never sets on the British Empire," came from the fact that Britain had territories all across the world, and that the sun was always shining on one part of the empire. However, the rise of nationalism and anti-imperialism during the 20th century led to the downfall of the British Empire. In 1947, British Raj (its possessions in South Asia) gained independence, and the post-World War II decolonization period would also see the British be forced to abandon Southeast Asia and Africa. In 1980, it lost its last African colony, Southern Rhodesia, and the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997 was considered to be the end of the empire.